Tidewater power plant



Feb. 24, 1931. s, B; MCHENRY 1,793,743

TIDEWATER POWER PLANT Filed May 21, 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 1 J *1: Samu 5WITNESS: ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1931. s. B. M HENRY 1,793,743-

TIDEWATER POWER PLANT FiledMay 21, 1927 35heets-Sheec 2 Minn hill

8a M11615 fi f/ewky INVENTOR BY my a WITNE -.W ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1931.s. s. M HENRY 1,793,743

TIDEWATER POWER PLANT Filed May 21, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s & A

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kxxxxx 7/ ATTO R N EY vHTNES Patented Feb. 24, 1931 r UNETEE STAliEfiPATENT QFFICE l SAMUEL B. MQHENRY, OE BLUOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA TIDEWATERPOWER PLANT Application filed May 21, 1927. Serial No. 193,203.

My present invention has reference to a sluice way, together with meansin the tide water power apparatus designed to be nature of a plate orabutment which is carried operated on both the flow and ebb tides of aby the frame, guided in the sluice way and flowing body of water. has anupper lateral extension or head dis- A further object is the provisionof a tide posed just out of contact with the blades of water pow-erplant in which tloats are utilized the wheel so that the water flowinginto and to arrange a water wheel in the path of cor out of the sluiceway will have its full force tact w'th a flowing body of water so thatthe directed against the lower blades of the blades of the said wheelwill be engaged by wheel to positively insure the free turning of thewater to revolve the wheel during the the wheel in both the flow, ebbtide and interrise and fall of such body of vater, and mediate tidesbetween such flow and odd tide.

wherein the wheel is connected with a gen- A still further object is theprovision of a crater for generating electric current or with tlde waterpower plant that is anchored in a means for driving apparatus. body offiOW'lIlg water so that the water or A further object is the provisionof a tide P Wer Wheel of the plant will be properly arwater power plantthat may be successfully ranged in the water to receive the full forceemployed in connection with either turbulent of the rlow thereof, inwhich floats support or comparatively quiet bodies or" flowing thewheel, and in which a shaft operated by water, and wherein meanscomprising floats he Wheel is Caused to move in the same ei- 59 properlyarrange the blades or" the power or rection even when the wheel isturned in op- 79 water wheel so that the same may be posipositedirections by the ebb and flow tides of tioned for contact by suchbodies during the body of water.

changes of tide. The invention will be fully and compre- A still furtherand important object of the hensively understood from a. considerationof i ti i to arrange a basin, in the nature the follow ng detaileddescription when read of a break water adjacent to a turbulent body 1 onection with the accompanying draw- Of water, su h f in t nc a an O ea50 ings which form part of the application, with that the water flowinginto the basin will be the r ing, WeVeT, that the im calmed in itspassage thereinto and act upon provement is capable of extendedapplication 39 the blades of a power or water wheel that is and is notconfined to the exact showing'of the 80 supported between floatsarranged in the drawings nor to the precise construction debasin, andfurther wl erein the water or rlbed and, therefore, such changes andpower heel is hitched to an electric genera, modifications may be Halidetherefrom as ClO tor or other apparatus to b r t d b th not affect thesp1r1t of the invention nor en- 35 wheel so that the generator or thelike will ceed the scope thereof as expressed in the ap have its shaftturned in the same direction p nded C a s; upon the flow tide when thewater is directed In the drawings: into the basin from the ocean, andupon the Figure 1 is a top plan View of one embodiebb tide when thewater flows backwardly ment of my nvention.

through the basin into the ocean. Figure 2 1s a sectional view on thehue 2-2 A still further object is the provision of a of F g tide waterpower plant in which water from Flgure 1s a View looking toward thefront a turbulent body, such as an ocean or the like of the basln. I

is directed into and calmed in its flow through Figure 4 is a. sectionalview on the line H a basin, said basin having arranged therein of Figure2. a sluice way for the flowing water, the basin In the showing of thedrawings I have 11- having arranged therein spaced floats whoselustrated my improved tide water power tops are connected by a frame andwhich plant positioned to be operated by the tide of frame has journaledthereon, between the a turbulent body of water, such as an ocean, floatsa water wheel that is positioned in the but, as the descriptionprogresses it will be apparent that the plant may be actuated by thetides of a comparatively calm body of water, such as a river or thelike.

In the showing of the drawings T construct a basin 1. The basin isireferably formed of concrete and is, of course, of a desired depth,length and width. At what I will term the front of the basin 1 form achamber 2 having a central extension in the nature of a water conduit 8.The outer wall l of the conduit provides a break water for a large bodyof water, such as an ocean. For this re. son the outer wall l issuitably reinforced, the same cin prov ded, adjacent to or at the bottomll with a rather restricted water enma ce lhe front wall of the basin,to which the portion 2, which l have termed a chamber is connected has acentral opening therethrough disposed in a line with the opening in thefront wall of the chamber from which the conduit 3 or ends, and in aline with the said opening in the basin 1 build longitudinally extendingwalls 3 that establish therebetween a sluice way. The sluice way isextended into the basin and may be of any desire length. In thisconnection it may well to state that the basin, chamber, conduitandsluice way are all of the same height, but the walls 6 providing thesluice way have opposite projecting portions 7 formed with verticallyextending alining slots 8 that also enter the walls 6.

Guided through the elongated slots 8 there is the shaft 9 for the wateror power wheel. In the showing of the drawings the hub 10 of the waterwheel, fixed onthe shaft 9, has radiating arms to which are connected arim 11 on which are secured and from which radiate the blades 12, andconnecting and reinforcing these blades are ring members 13. The shaft 9passes through bearing openings in the central and substanly rectangularmember A ofaframe. The parallel sides of the member 14. are heldslightly out of contact with the sides of the power wheel by the hub 10,and the lower transverse portion of the substantially rectangular framemember 14 is slightly dished and is indicated, for distinction by the numeral 15. The inner wall of this member 15 is disposed just slightly outof contact with the blades 12 of the water wheel. Preferably integrallyformed on the wall or member 15, and depenoing therefrom there is aplate 16 whose edges may be received in guide slots in the side Walls 6of the sluice way, and whose lower portion is received in a guidepassage 17 that enters the bottom of the sluice way. The passage 17 ispreferably provided by a pair of spaced walls arranged transversely ofand depending from the bottom wall of the sluice way and basin. Theplate 16 provides a dam or barrier for the tide water passing throughthe. sluice-way in either direction has centrally fixed thereon spacedbean similar bearings 20 on the central portion T he outer and lowerends the top portions of floats 2. Of course, any desired number offloats may be ro' rided and any suitable type of floats may be employed.In the showing of the drawthe floats are in the nature of closedcylournaled on but held from longituon the ends of the shaft 9 el wheels6, "'espectively. The teeth of the respective news 26 are oppositelarranged and are enand there are ratchet wheels ct by dogs or pawls 2'?on the inner faces said wheels and 25. Thus when the l is turned by thewater wheels in either of two directions, one of tne belt wheels willrevolve wi h the shaft, while the turning shaft ratchets over the secondbelt wheel.

The improvement may be employed for mparting power to any shaft or likerevouble element, but in the showing of the drawngs the improvement isdisclosed as a means or generating electricity. One one of the slates 22I ll a generator 28 whose shaft 29 has fixed on its ends suitable pulleywheels.

ained around these pulley'wheels and the and 25, respectively there is aand a crossed belt 31. By

2 stra-g tbelt this arrangement it will be seen that the generator shaft29 will be turned in the same direction when the water wheel is turnedin one direction by the flow tide flowing through the basin and by theebb tide flowing in a reverse direction through the basin back into theocean or other large body of Water.

vVith my improvement it will be seen that I calm a turbulent body ofwater and positively direct the same to operate upon the lower blades ofthe water wheel in its passage through the basin. The floats 23 hold theblades of the water wheel in a position to be properly contacted by theflowing water, regardless of tide changes. The water wheel positivelyacted on by the water during ebb as well as flow tides. The device iscomparatively simple, but is of such construction as to insure strengthand durability so that after installation few, if any repairs will berequired thereto.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A tide water power plantcomprising abasin, a chamber located at one end of the basin, spacedside walls extending from opposite sides of the chamber to cooperatewith the latter in forming a sluice having receiving and discharge endsand said discharge end located in the basin, a wall closing thereceiving end of the sluice and having a restricted entrance to regulatethe flow of water through the sluice, a frame slidable in the sluice, awater wheel ournaled in the frame, a float frame pivoted to the firstframe and extending parallel with the sluice with one end disposed overthe basin and the other end disposed over the chamber, and floatsconnected to the ends of the float frame and engaging the water in thechamber and basin. 2. r tide water power plant comprising a basin, achamber located at one end of the basin, spaced side walls extendingfrom opposite sides of the chamber to cooperate with the latter informing a sluice having receiving and discharge ends, and said dischargeends located in the basin, a wall closing the receiving end of thesluice and having a restricted entrance to regulate the flow of Waterthrough the sluice, a rectangular frame mounted for vertical slidingmovement in the sluice, a water wheel journaled in the frame, said framehaving an arcuate shaped lower wall to direct the water against thewheel, a plate carried by the lower end of the frame to retard the waterthrough the sluice and cause the major portion of the water to passthrough the frame and over the lower wall thereof, a float frame pivotedto the first frame and extending parallel with the sluice with one enddisposed over the basin and the other end disposed over the chamber, andfloats connected to the ends of the float frame and engaging the waterin the chamber and basin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL B. MCHENRY.

